The shackles placed on democracy

The 66th anniversary of the May 27, 1960, coup d'état serves as a somber reminder of a pivotal moment that marred Turkey's democratic journey. The military intervention targeted the democratically elected government of Prime Minister Adnan Menderes and the Democrat Party, ultimately leading to the dissolution of the constitution and parliament, and the tragic executions of the prime minister and two of his ministers.

This event is described as not merely the overthrow of a government but as the crushing of the nation's will under tank tracks, paving the way for a tutelary system in Turkish politics. The subsequent trials held on Yassıada island are characterized as legal farces, driven by political vendettas and resulting in death sentences that remain etched in collective memory.

Documents emerging years later revealed the coup as a political maneuver that suspended the rule of law. Cases dubbed "Baby Case" and "Dog Case" exemplify how the judicial proceedings were allegedly used for political propaganda. The trials concluded with death sentences for Prime Minister Adnan Menderes, Foreign Minister Fatin Rüştü Zorlu, and Finance Minister Hasan Polatkan, who were executed on September 16 and 17, 1961.

Efforts have been made to rectify this historical wrong, notably by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the AK Party. Yassıada, once known as a "forbidden island," has been redeveloped as "Democracy and Freedom Island" and transformed into a museum. The words Menderes spoke on his way to the gallows and his final letter continue to represent a deep wound in Turkey's democratic consciousness.

The 1961 Constitution, drafted in the coup's aftermath, institutionalized military and bureaucratic tutelage, creating fertile ground for subsequent interventions like those on March 12, September 12, and February 28. Former Democrat Party Deputy Gıyasettin Emre, who met with Menderes shortly before the coup, recounted the prime minister's apparent disbelief in a military takeover, despite widespread rumors and warnings.